JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Editor's Note: The video above is from a previous story dated Dec. 27, 2019.
During Sunday's Jacksonville Jaguar game, 74 people from 32 countries will reach the end of a lengthy process to officially become citizens of the United States of America.
It is the fourth year in a row the Jaguars will host a naturalization ceremony at TIAA Bank Field. The ceremony is part of a collaboration between the US District Court in Jacksonville, the Department of Homeland Security US Citizenship and Immigrations Services and the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The men and women who will be naturalized are between 19 and 66 years old and hail from 32 countries including Albania, Bangladesh, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Burma, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, India, Iran, Jamaica, Jordan, South Korea, Lebanon, Mexico, Norway, Peru, Philippines, Romania, Sri Lanka, Syria, Thailand, United Kingdom, Venezuela and Vietnam.
Traditionally, many naturalization ceremonies have been held in public places, ranging from public parks and school auditoriums to the White House. However, the COVID-19 pandemic have limited the sizes of these naturalization ceremonies. Yet, the US District Court in Jacksonville and the Jaguars felt it important to have the ceremony at the game.
“It is an honor to share this meaningful ceremony with the community," United States District Judge Marcia Morales Howard said. "The hard work and commitment that these 74 individuals invested to become our fellow citizens is a testament to the greatness of our country. One need only see the expressions of pride, hope, and joy that explode across their faces as they are declared United States citizens to be reminded of how lucky we are to be American citizens."
Judge Howard will administer the Naturalization Oath of Allegiance to the United States of America. At the end of it, the 74 people who take the Oath will be citizens of the United States.
Naturalization Process
The naturalization process, through which a person from a foreign country becomes a US citizen, is an expensive process.
To qualify for naturalization, one must be 18 years old, have lived in the United States for at least five years, have the ability to speak and understand English and be "of good moral character."
To apply, a person must complete a Form N-400, which is the official application for naturalization. The 20-page application includes questions asking the applicants if they have been arrested, if they registered for Selected Service, if they served in a terror organization and even if they are a "habitual drunkard." The form also includes a question asking if the applicant has ever been involved in the Nazi Party of Germany between 1933-1945.
As part of the application, the person must also provide two pictures meeting immigration services requirements, as well as a variety of other documents. The applicant must also pay a non-refundable fee of $725. Once their application is submitted, the person must continue to live in the U.S. until they have become naturalized.
All people applying for naturalization must also get fingerprinted to prevent fraud.
Next, the applicant must do their interview and tests. The interview focuses on the applicant's background. They will also answer any questions about information on their application.
Finally, the applicant must pass an English literacy and civics test. Questions on the civics test range from U.S. history, government, constitutional rights and geography.
Once a person's application is accepted, and they pass the interview and tests, they will receive notice of when they will be naturalized and state the Oath. In the Oath, a person must renounce any allegiance to another country and swear to defend the United States and carryout the duties of a citizen.
If a person of foreign nobility becomes naturalized in the United States, they must also renounce their title.
The Naturalization Oath of Allegiance to the United States of America says:
"I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty, of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen; that I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform noncombatant service in the Armed Forces of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform work of national importance under civilian direction when required by the law; and that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; so help me God."